Getty Eagles QB Jalen Hurts reported to OTAs weighing 222 pounds.
A wry smile enveloped Jalen Hurts’ face when someone asked him about his interaction with the New England Patriots prior to the 2020 NFL draft. There had been reports of the Patriots trading into the second round that year to take Hurts.
Obviously it didn’t happen. The Philadelphia Eagles snatched up the Heisman Trophy runner-up with the 53rd overall pick and New England opted to start Cam Newton at quarterback. Hurts, never one to stir the pot, said he had “no great response” for why the Patriots passed on him. However, his facial expression seemed to indicate there was a funny story hiding somewhere.
“I really don’t know what to say to that question,” Hurts said Monday after Day 1 of joint practices between the Eagles and Patriots. “I usually have a great response to questions, but I don’t know what to say to that one.”
A jovial Hurts was seen talking to Bill Belichick after 11-on-11 drills. The Eagles quarterback wouldn’t share exactly what was said during their conversation, but something along the lines of “you should have picked me” was implied. Remember, Belichick wears two hats as head coach and general manager for New England.
“I hadn’t talked to him before,” Hurts said, that wry smile back on his face. “I gotta ask him, I gotta ask him what was up, that’s all.”
Quez Watkins beats Patriots JC Jackson down the sideline for a TD from Jalen Hurts
Eagles fans going wild. And he signals TD. Bill Belichick not happy
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Hurts Calls Cam Newton ‘Legendary Player’
Newton was another guy that Hurts was seen talking to on the practice field at the NovaCare Complex on Monday. The 2015 NFL MVP is trying to hold off a late charge from Mac Jones – Hurts’ college teammate at Alabama in 2018 – for the Patriots’ starting job.
Newton and Hurts had spoken once before on the phone, but this was the first time they met in person. The Eagles quarterback talked about growing up admiring Newton, calling him a “legendary player” going back to his days at Auburn. Newton proved to be a reliable resource when Hurts was in the process of transferring from Alabama to Oklahoma in 2019.
Eagles QB @JalenHurts was excited to meet @Patriots QB Cam Newton for the first time after many correspondences. “He’s an older athlete. Legendary player” 🤣 #FlyEaglesFly
“This is my first time actually meeting him in person,” Hurts said. “I know in the past, in the midst of trying to find out where I was going the second time around, he called me. And I’ve also had communication with him just from an older athlete.
Obviously he’s a legendary player, the things that he’s done in college and in the league, and I watched him a lot growing up. So being able to talk to him, being able to have a relationship with him, and meet him in person for the first time, it was great.”
Eagles Get Best of Patriots on Day 1
Don’t ever read too much into practice reps. Teams are simply trying different things out, with a lot of vanilla looks. But the Eagles’ first-team offense appeared to get the better of the Patriots on Day 1 of joint practices. Hurts hit Jalen Reagor steaking down the sideline for a beautiful touchdown. Quez Watkins and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside also made nice contested catches.
First-round pick DeVonta Smith was on the field during individual drills and looked crisp on cuts and breaks going in and out of his routes. There is still no timetable for a return after the talented receiver was upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day on the most recent injury report.
“He’ll be back,” Hurts said. “Smitty gonna be Smitty, he’ll be back.”